Criminal Law

In Queensland, there are three types of assault charges:  Common Assault   Assault occasioning bodily harm  Serious Assault   These are serious criminal offences as all assault charges may attract a term of imprisonment.  This article focuses on two common defences to assault: Provocation and Self-defence.   Provocation  What is Provocation?   According to s268 of the Queensland Criminal … Read more

In Queensland, there are three types of assault charges:  Common Assault   Assault occasioning bodily harm  Serious Assault   This article focuses on the second type of assault charge in Queensland, Aggravated/Serious Assault.   For more information about Common Assault, visit What is Common Assault?   Aggravated or Serious Assault  Under the Queensland Criminal Code, aggravated or serious assault … Read more

You hear a knock on the door followed by, “Queensland Police. Open the door.” Police flood in, they tell you that you are detained, hand you a piece of paper and start searching the property. All of this can cause a lot of confusion and stress. This article aims to answer some early questions that … Read more

Case Note: R v Paull [2021] QSCPR 22 Facts On 2 July 2020, two uniformed police officers were conducting mobile patrols in the Cairns CBD in a marked police vehicle. At approximately 1:50am, Ryan Connor Paull (‘the Applicant’) was seen by police to be walking across the road and continued walking on a footpath. Police … Read more

In Queensland, a blue card is required for anyone who wishes to work or volunteer with children. The regime is administered by Blue Card Services and is governed by the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000.   For industries in which a blue card is necessary for work – such as childcare, or youth … Read more

On 29 March 2021, a three-day lockdown was announced over the greater Brisbane area. Those who lived in Brisbane during this time would no doubt recall having to ‘think on their feet’ and make sudden changes to their plans for the coming days. In this regard, the judicial system also had to pivot and make … Read more

The District Court of Queensland has recently allowed an appeal against sentence, finding that the learned Magistrate initially imposed a sentence which was manifestly excessive. The Magistrates Court Proceedings On 9 March 2021, Mr. Aaron Leigh Edwards (Mr. Edwards) pleaded guilty to two counts in the Magistrates Court. The first, a charge of willful damage … Read more